Photos of My Life

My life is certainly never boring! The following are some highlights of the last five months, with photos to be added (when the internet cooperates!)

Visit out to Takwe - Being with CDP children in their homes and seeing them meet their US sponsors for the first time was priceless. It's amazing the bonds that can be formed through child sponsorship. I highly recommend it!

Sunday School Teacher Training in Gisanga/Mbuye

Being with the GPCC team in Gisanga/Mbuye was great! I was able to see the potential for a comprehensive Sunday school teacher training program in all CDP communities. I love to see excited Children's Ministry workers!

Alpha Training Course

The beginning of September saw my first trip outside of Rwanda to Bujumbura to take part in an Alpha training course. It was excellent to be with the body of Christ global and to see peoples' hearts to reach their friends and neighbors all over East Africa. I plan to use some of their principles of discussion and prayer in my trainings.

My "Funny T-Shirt" Birthday Party

I love throwing theme parties, so this year was no exception. I invited my friends here for an afternoon of fun and games and asked them to wear their funniest T-shirts from the market. We played crazy bowling with water bottles, pin the slogan on the t-shirt and Truth or Dare Jenga. Some of the gems of t-shirts from the party included:

Cranky but adorable so I'm worth it! (mine)

Hogs breath is better than no breath at all!

Be thankful I'm not your kid!

Talk, dark and Italian, what's not to love!

Umuganda

Rwanda has a very effective system of community service called Umuganda. Each last Saturday of the month, community members from each sector come and perform community service like digging drainage ditches or planting trees. Becky and I have taken part on several occasions and have really enjoyed it! Not only do I get to meet more of my neighbors, but at the end of the work time, we attend a community meeting. I learn so much about the concerns of our community and what is going on at the meetings. I really enjoy Umuganda and would love to see it introduced in the US.

Visiting Saturday Sunday School in Gikomero

I've had the privilege of getting to know the pastor of an Anglican church in Gikomero. Pastor Martin is so innovative and passionate and runs a great children's program in his community. I had the opportunity to go out and visit one Saturday and had the best time! The children dance when singing praises to God and are so enthusiastic and well behaved. (I think they could teach a thing or two to kids in America!)

Primary Teacher Training at Paroisse St. Andre

Another Saturday I had the opportunity to go and train primary teachers at a Catholic school just down the road in Gitarama. I was able to teach them many interactive games that they could put to use in their classrooms using supplies you can find easily like sticks, string and stones. We had a great time and I was excited to hear the teachers' plans of how they will use these games in their classroom.

Akagera National Park

In November, Becky and I had the opportunity to visit the game park in Rwanda. Though not as big as ones in Kenya or Uganda, it's still fabulous! We saw giraffes, water buffalo, hippos, gazelles, monkeys and baboons! The best part of it was traveling around the park in a broken down mini-bus while the rest of the tourist traveled around in beautiful 4X4 vehicles. It definitely made for a better story and proved that we weren't just tourists!

Art Club

In late October Becky also started Art Club at our house. Each Wednesday at 4pm, the children come and we do an art project together. It's a great way to practice Kinyarwanda as well as get to know the children better. I love getting to spend this time with them!

Visits

Since the children get to visit us now at least once a week, they've taken to inviting us over to their homes to meet their families. Becky and I have gotten to visit several of the children at home and it has been both an eye-opening and sweet experience. To see the way these children live on a daily basis is a reminder to me of how blessed I am. I am continually amazed at the fact that though these children don't have much their lives are filled with joy despite their lack of material possessions. I really enjoy getting to know the children and their families!

Audrey's First Birthday Party

My Kinyarwanda teacher's daughter just turned one at the end of October! Her parents threw a huge party for her and invited me. As the only Muzungu, it was a bit daunting to be surrounded by rapid fire Kinyarwanda, but it was great fun to get to meet Denise and Claude's friends and family and get insight into Rwandan celebrations.

My first Baby Naming

One of my co-workers recently had a baby and invited Christi and I to the baby naming. It's an intricate tradition where children eat certain foods and all the children and adults present give their suggestions for names. The parents then choose a name from the ones given or one they have already picked out. Names are a very big deal here and they will often tell you the meaning of the name they picked. I am so glad that I got to take part in such an important Rwandan tradition.

Sunday School Teacher Training in Gikomero

I thoroughly enjoyed doing my first teacher training in Gikomeron on November 14th! We had a great time together learning how to write lesson plans, teach Sunday school lessons and play creative and interactive review and memory verse games! I can't wait to share with other Sunday school teachers all around Rwanda how they can creatively share the love of God with children.

Gorillas

The biggest tourist attraction in Rwanda is the Silverback Mountain Gorillas. In November a group of girls and I hiked up to see them. After a two hour hike, we got to spend an hour with them. They are amazing animals. To see the children play and the mothers interact with the babies was priceless. It was a once in a lifetime experience that I won't soon forget, especially since it poured down rain on the way back and we slipped and slid through two inches of mud!

What's in a Name

I love writing Sunday school curriculum! I'm almost finished with the curriculum and I've really enjoyed writing each lesson. I can't wait to get it translated and into the hands of Rwandan Sunday school teachers!

October Blog Posts

Our Thirteen Year Old Bodyguard

One of the joys of living in my neighborhood are the children. They are phenomenal! We spend lots of time playing and chatting (or trying to) together. By far, one of my favorite kids is Jean Pierre. Whenever you see Jean Pierre he is always in the same green sweater and khacki shorts. He lives with his dad in a tiny two room house in our neighborhood. They have a tough life yet we usually hear Jean Pierre before we even see him because he’s singing…either to us or just singing in general. Sometimes he sings a little “Rebecca, Karine” song when he sees us because he’s happy to see us that day.

Jean Pierre is the consummate gentleman who always wants to take care of Rebecca and me. He had us over to visit the other day and sitting on the table in his house were two cokes. He and his dad barely eke out a living yet he bought us cokes. Pretty humbling. He also takes pleasure in being our “protector”. Tonight we met him on our road and he walked us partway back to our house.

He’s also great at crowd control. He shoos the kids from our courtyard when we want them to leave and always stays behind after art club to help clean up. When we were on our visit last week we told him in a mixture of expert French (Becky’s) and rudimentary Kinyarwanda (mine) that we really appreciate that unlike the other children he’s not always saying to us, “Ndashaka” which means I want. Most of the other children every time they see us tell us they want a balloon, or candy, or a piece of chalk or cookies (all things we’ve been known to give them from time to time.) Not Jean Pierre. He’s never asked us for anything…except to spend time with us. Last Thursday the kids were in playing in our courtyard. When it was time to leave they all were shaking our hands and Jean Pierre was staying behind making sure that they left. One little girl as she was leaving said, “Ndashaka imipiriso” which means, “I want a balloon.” Jean Pierre said in his sternest voice, “Oya ndashaka” (No, I want!) “Murakose” (say thank you.) It was absolutely priceless!

I’m sure you can understand why Jean Pierre is one of my most favorite children!

Juck, Juck, Juice and Simon Says

Last Thursday we had some of the children in to play games in our courtyard. I decided to teach them how to play Duck, Duck Goose. All was going well except for the fact that the kids couldn’t say Duck, Duck Goose very well. Instead it came out sounding like, “Juck, Juck, Juice.” Too cute!

Then when “Juck, Juck, Juice” got a little too rough I decided to teach them how to play Simon Says. I tried to explain in my best Kinyarwanda that they were only supposed to do what I told them when I said, “Simon Says.” So we began. I said, “Simon says touch your head. Simon says touch your shoulder, Simon says touch your knees. Touch your head.” And wouldn’t you know, every kid touched their head. So I explained, “No, no, don’t do the action when I don’t say “Simon Says,”.

“Ohhhh,” the kids all responded in unison.

Then we began again. “Simon says touch your ears, Simon says touch your eyes, Simon says touch your nose, touch your mouth.” Again, every single kid touched their mouth. “No, no,” I explained. “Simon didn’t say to touch your mouth.”

“Ohhh,” the kids all responded in unison. “Simon didn’t say.”

“Surely,” I thought. “They can’t get it wrong a third time.” “Simon says touch your elbows, Simon says jump up and down, Simon says hop on one foot. Turn around.” And again, every single kid turned around.

“No, no, no, Simon didn’t say,” I explained yet again.

“Ohhh,” came the kids united response.

I finally gave up!

September Blog Postings

September 5, 2009 - Observations from Church at Urukundo Home for Children

For a lot of my life church has been, well, let’s just say, “difficult.” Without opening the proverbial can of worms on my blog, I’ll just say that it was because of sin within the church collective, and my sinful response. But then things changed when God brought healing to my life through a wonderful church home. It took years, and it wasn’t right away, but God softened my heart to his body. Though never once through all of the heartache and years of difficult church experiences did I completely give up on God’s people, the simple act of going to church and taking part in worship was more of a duty and a challenge than a joy. That was until three years ago when God changed my heart and I was finally able to give myself wholeheartedly to a local body.

Since arriving in Rwanda two months ago, I’ve been worshipping mainly at the Urukundo Home for Children. Though I love the simplicity of the service and seeing the children’s enthusiasm in worship, I’ve been missing my church home more than I expected. Today was evidence of that. A visiting lay person served communion using much of the liturgy that I’m used to. The familiarity, beauty and symbolism in taking the sacrament brought tears to my eyes, as did saying the Lord’s Prayer. I was shocked at how much I longed to worship God in a language and a format that I’m familiar with, rather than straining to hear a translator or sitting through numerous songs that I only know every 10th or 20th word. I found myself yearning to be a wholehearted part of a local church body. That was a yearning that four years ago, I never thought I’d experience.

Please pray for me. Pray that I am able to strike a balance between visiting churches to learn more about the Rwandan church and its ministry to children for my job, and becoming a regular part of a church body. Pray that I am able to find an English service that I can attend from time to time so I am able to be fed spiritually in my mother tongue. Please pray also that I am able to become a part of a local Rwandan church and build relationships. I do long to again be able to give myself wholeheartedly to the local church.

With that said however, worshipping at Urukundo has been an incredible blessing that has taught me so much. Each week one of the children and then an adult speaker “preaches” a sermon. We sing hymns and choruses together, mainly in Kinyarwanda, and the childrens’ choirs perform. They conclude the service with a time of testimony and praise to God. Without fail, each week, one of the children gives public praise to God that He brought them all through the week and none of them died. In all of my years of working with and ministering to children in the US, I have never, ever heard one of them give praise to God that they were still alive. It gives me pause to consider the brevity of life here, especially for children, many of whom don’t even make it to their fifth birthday. I know that I have never given public praise to God that I am still alive and didn’t die through the week. I just don’t expect to, at least not yet. Yet because life is harder here, these children can appreciate that it is God who gives and sustains life. They’ve learned a lesson that I have yet to learn.

I’ve also learned much from the wisdom and toughness of Mama, Arlene Brown, who founded and runs Urukundo. She’s an 80 year woman who has sacrificed an easy retirement and a rocking chair in the US to provide a home for 40 orphaned and abandoned Rwandan children. She will stop at nothing to make sure that the children in her care receive all that they need.
Years ago, I read the book by John Piper, “Don’t Waste Your Life”. Arlene, or Mama as we affectionately call her, certainly has not wasted her life, even the last years of her life. I am amazed by her fierce tenacity to care for these children and advocate for them. She is one tough cookie, and is truly the type of woman I would like to become. As I reflect upon what I would like people to say about me when I am 80 years old, I would hope that like Arlene, many children would be able to say, “She showed me love and cared for me when I had no one else.” She is an inspiration to me whenever I think that living in Rwanda is too tough. If a woman in her 70’s can move to Rwanda and start an orphanage, than surely I can muster up the strength to meet the daily challenges of life here.


September 6th, 2009 - Who Am I Anymore?

I’m becoming a woman I don’t recognize anymore. I grew up in suburban New Jersey, ten miles from New York City. None of the women I knew growing up made thing from scratch, sewed, canned or hand washed anything. I grew up around wonderful women but none were of country stock. New Jersey is an all too convenient place where you can get anything you want or need within a five minute drive of your house. It doesn’t make you resourceful at all.

Then I moved to Rwanda. This weekend I spent most of my time at home doing all manner of things I never thought I’d do. I cut and hung two sets of curtains, hand washed and hung my clothes out on a clothesline, cooked a meal using no convenience foods while using the barest minimum of water, made biscuits from scratch, boiled three kettles of water to purify it for drinking and successfully bartered for my mattress and paid a boy needing work to carry it on his head to my house.

My life is a far cry from what it was in New Jersey, yet I suspect it is making me a stronger and more resourceful woman because of it. Next week’s project: Learning to make bagels from scratch. Who says you have to live in New Jersey to get what you want? Now if I could only replicate New York style pizza…..


September 7, 2009 - T-Shirts

Rwanda is home to many fabulous t-shirts, each one having a more hilarious saying on it than the next. One of my favorite pastimes while I’m out and about is to read the t-shirts that I encounter. I suspect most of their owners don’t know what their rather colorful statements mean. Here were two gems from Friday:

“I’m too sexy for my hair, wonder why it isn’t there”. Worn by a man with a full head of hair.
“Yes, I’ll drop everything and solve your problems.”

I love these t-shirts so much that I’m planning my birthday party around them. In two weeks it’s my birthday. I’m throwing a party and asking all of my guests to come wearing the craziest shirt they can find in the market. My hope is to photograph them all and turn them into the pictures for a calendar next year.

Trusting God - Be Careful of What you Pray For!

I find that my faith is taking a new shape here. Some time ago when I was in New Jersey still and struggling through my relationship with Christ I prayed something to the effect of: “Dear God, help me to understand and know what it means to trust you.” Be careful of what you pray for.

I find that I’m beginning to learn what trust means here in Rwanda but it’s not at all in the grand and glorious ways that I expected. Instead I’m learning more to trust Christ for my daily needs and for the next five minutes. More and more I find my prayers going something like this, “Lord, I’m scared to death to take this motorcycle taxi. But I know you’ve called me here and I trust that you will keep me safe. Please bring me to this church without harm.” or, “Lord, I don’t know how in the world I’m going to find the bus that I need to get on to go to this meeting in Kigali. Please show me the way or bring me someone who will help me.” or, “Lord, please keep me safe as I walk home. I know you are capable of bringing me to my house without any harm coming to me.”

Everything is unfamiliar, everything. Some days as I walk back and forth to my Kinyarwanda lessons, or to the market or to my home, there is no one I can talk to, except God. No one would understand me. But as I’m beginning to see, God is able and willing to take care of me and to meet my needs. Often they are needs that span only for the next five to ten minutes. And I find that it is only Christ who can meet those needs. At home I would know what to do in order to meet my own needs: I’d get on MapQuest and get directions to my meeting, or I’d drive my own car so I wouldn’t have to walk in the dark or take a motorcycle to a meeting. But here that’s just not possible. I’m not able to meet my own needs in the ways that I was at home. And in reality, that’s a blessing in disguise. For the first time, I’m having to give up some of my obsessive need for control and to meet my own needs and I have to rely on God and others.


I know that God brought me here for a purpose: He has called me to be a blessing to Rwandan children. Yet, I suspect He has also brought me here to help me to understand what it means to trust in and rely on Him.

Highlights of the First Two Weeks

The Neighborhood Children - The kids in my neighborhood are great! There are a couple of little girls who live near the office who run and give me a hug every time I see them. Then when I go for walks after works it seems that I am the Pied Piper. One evening (before dark) when I was walking, four boys, at least one of whom is a street child, joined me for my "sport" walk, as they called it. We chatted in English and my few words in Kinyarwanda the best I could. As we were nearing the office, Pacifice, my favorite neighborhood boy asked, "Do you have baby?" Of course I answered, "No." A minute later John said, "Do you have children?" Again, I answered, "No." John thought about my answer for a moment and then said, "But we are children." I'm guessing at what he meant, but I think he meant, 'Hey, you could adopt us and we could be your children.' No matter what he meant it was a priceless conversation!

Visit to Takwe- A CDP Community


Yesterday, July 16 I was able to visit one of Child Development Communities. A group of sponsors from the US had come to visit their sponsored children and the community they live it. It was such a blessing to me to be able to meet some of the children that FH's Child Sponsorship Program benefits. I even went on two home visits. One of the sponsors, sponsors two teenagers and we visited with them and their families. I absolutely loved spending time with the children and could see the difference Food for the Hungry's ministry has in their lives. FH has built a school there and does wholistic ministry that benefits the entire community.

My Walks

Rwanda is a strikingly beautiful country. You can't walk more than two steps without seeing an amazing view. They don't call it the Land of a Thousand Hills for nothing! Each evening after work I take a short walk before it gets dark. I've enjoyed getting to know my neighborhood and surroundings better. This evening as my friend Beth, an FH intern and I were walking to a British Volunteer worker's house, there was the most amazing sunset over the mountains. Every day in Rwanda I am struck by the beauty of God's creation.

It has been a good two weeks. I still am acclimating and getting used to the culture. The market still scares me! But overall, I'm adjusting. Please pray for me and my language learning as well as being able to create a life for myself here. Pray also that I make good contacts that will aid me in casting a vision for how I can best serve Rwandan churches and encourage them to reach out to children and meet their needs. Thank you for your prayers and support! You are missed and appreciated!

My First Week

Wow! This week and a half has been full; full of so many wonderful, different and exciting things! It was full of meeting great people, eating new and interesting food, learning new words and phrases, acclimating and understanding Biblical images and concepts in a new way.



My life has been full of meeting wonderful people. I spent my first two days in Kigali at the main FH office, meeting other colleagues. It was great to have the opportunity to meet so many people I'll be working alongside. My favorite moment of meeting my Kigali co-workers was when Hannington, a Ugandan finance manager came up to me and said, "Karen, do you have a story for me?" I was able to use my best New Jersey accent and tell my favorite story about my dad being in the hospital next to a totally out of control, stereotypically Jersey man and his family. There's nothing I love more than imitating accents. Give me a few months and I'll have a Rwandan accent down pat!



I've also enjoyed getting to know my Gitarama teammates a bit better. Christi was such a great help to me. She took me all around Kigali on Tuesday and helped me open up bank accounts, get a cell phone and understand where things are and how to get around. It's been great having Beth and Wes, two summer interns around to take walks around Gitarama with. My favorite walk so far was when we trekked down into the valley and walked past many women farming their tiny plots of land. You would not even believe how strikingly beautiful Rwanda is. I've also enjoyed getting to know the Rwandan staff in Gitarama. Marcelline has been a great help in getting to know what the Child Development Program does. I'm hoping to be able to visit her church with her so I can better understand Rwandan churches and what they do with children.



The expat community in Gitarama is great too! The gang of ten to twelve meet weekly for a movie night and Sunday dinner. Soraya, a VSO volunteer has come over to our kitchen here at the guesthouse a couple of times and cooked desserts with us: avocado ice cream and no-bake cookies. Bruce and my co-worker Tom, hosted a dinner my first night here so I could get to know the community and my c0-workers better.



It's also been a week full of new foods! I've tried melange which is a Rwandan style buffet. It's lots and lots of starchy based dishes like french fries, rice, boiled potatoes, plantains, beans and then some cooked vegetables. Some melanges also have a meat selection. What's so interesting about a melange here is the unlike an American all you can eat buffet, you are only allowed one plate. It's great fun to see Rwandans pile their plates as high as they can!

I've also started formal Kinyarwanda lessons. I have a great tutor Denise and now by my fourth day she already has me doing conjugations. Kinywarwanda is incredibly difficult however! There are 16 different noun classes which means if you want to say this (fill in the blank with a noun) there are 16 different ways to say it depending on the spelling of the noun you are describing. Talk about confusing! But I'm working very hard to learn it and am so excited when I get to use it in the neighborhood.

What has been so great about this first week too is seeing Biblical concepts and ideas that I've read about an known as a child come alive for the first time. Last Sunday two friends and I walked through the valley to a church service in Kigali. I was wearing comfy sandals to walk to church in. There must have been at least three inches of dust at points because it is the dry season here. When we got back to the guest house my feet were dirtier than I think they ever have been in my life! I didn't even want to wash them. Yet that is exactly what Jesus did for his disciples. As I washed my feet I thought about the Son of God washing the feet of the disciples. That God's Son would humble himself to do that blew my mind. I don't think I ever imagined how dirty the disciples feet could have been. Sunday, I realized just how dirty they would have been and what an amazing act of service this was! I pray that I will have a servant's heart like this in Rwanda.

Being in Kigali and staying at the FH guest house there this past weekend also gave me new insight into Christ being the Good Shepherd who lays down his life for his sheep. A lot of homes here have guards who protect the inhabitants from theft. Late on Saturday night, Wes and Nathan, two FH interns and I stayed up late watching The Great Debaters ( a fabulous movie, by the way!) As I crossed the courtyard back to the guest house, I saw Celestin, the FH guard laying down on a mattress, sleeping in the driveway between the two houses. Immediately it brought to mind the image of a Shepherd who lays down at the doorway of the sheepfold in order to protect his sheep. I was reminded of Christ, who is the Good Shepherd and how he was willing and did, sacrifice his life for us, his sheep. I have found being in Rwanda has given me insight into Biblical concepts that I never fully understood before and took for granted.

Overall, it has been a great first week and a half. I can't wait to tell you all soon about my first visit to a Child Development Community. If I have enough internet speed I even hope to upload video footage of some children doing a traditional dance. Thank you so much to everyone who prayed me and supported me here. I am honored to be a part of what God is doing here!

More to come soon!

A Dictionary of my Emotions

Saturday, July 4th I leave for Rwanda. Each night I'm finding it harder and harder to fall asleep as I anticipate this new chapter in my life! There are so many adjectives that could describe how I'm feeling:

Excited: I get to move to Rwanda and share Christ's love with precious children!
Nervous: I'm moving to a country where I don't know the language and only know one person!
Wistful: I think about leaving little things I love: my books, my favorite coffee, my dog
Happy: What I've hoped and prayed for has become a reality!
Sad: I leave behind wonderful friends and family that I won't be able to see (or as easily).
Thankful: Countless supporters and prayer partners have generously given to my ministry.
Contemplative: What will life be like in Rwanda, what struggles and challenges will I face?
Joyful: God has provided so many blessings in my last month and a half...I'm blown away!
Honored: It is such an honor to be joining God's kingdom work in Rwanda.
Avoidant: There are some goodbyes that I just don't want to say: family, my favorite kiddos
Anxious: How in the world will I pack all that I need for three years in three bags?
Anticipating: I can't wait to finally see the country and the people I've talked so much about!

I'm sure as soon as I get to Rwanda, this list of adjectives will stretch even longer!

The Waiting Room of Life

We've all been there: the non-descript and bland decor, rows of chairs facing each other, back issues of magazines, waiting anxiously for your name to be called to end the monotony. A doctor's waiting room. A familiar place to us all. Sometimes life feels like a doctor's waiting room. This past year my life has seemed like a doctor's waiting room.

If you would have told me a year ago that I'd still be in the States I wouldn't have believed you. I would have thought that I'd have been in Rwanda for at least a couple of months. I'd know snippets of Kinyarwanda phrases, I'd have visited all of the Child Development Program communities by now and have started forming friendships and relationships. Yet this is not what God has had in mind. As much as my heart yearns to be in Rwanda there are valuable lessons that I've learned in God's waiting room of life that I wouldn't trade for knowing a few more phrases of Kinyarwanda.

This year of being in the waiting room has taught me much about God's faithful provision. Almost a year ago I ended my teaching contract and thus ended regular, full-time work and a regular paycheck. There were moments in the ensuing year that I had no idea if I'd have the money to pay my health insurance premium for the month or pay another bill. Yet every single month God has provided. Just when the need got critical my phone would ring and a friend or family from church would call and need me to care for their children. Or, one of my temporary agencies would call with a week long job with excellent pay. This past year has been a tangible expression of God's care and provision. For the six months of not having a "regular" job I was constantly anxious and on-edge wondering if I would get by. Now, I don't worry anymore. I know that God has called me to Rwanda and I know He will provide for me until I get there.

Being able to trust and rest in God's provision is a lesson that I definitely needed to learn before I leave for Rwanda. I know life in Rwanda won't be easy. It will be a walk of faith every step of the way. Yet, this year in the waiting room has taught me that God will provide and He is walking with me. If that's what this year of waiting was meant for, then I am thankful for it. However, I am anxiously awaiting when my name will be called and I can step out of the waiting room onto a plane bound for Rwanda!

A Debtor to Grace Alone

I stumbled across the lyrics to this 18th Century Hymn tonight. It's amazing:

A Debtor to Mercy Alone
Agustus Toplady 1740

A debtor to mercy alone,
Of covenant mercy I sing
Nor fear, with Thy righteousness on
My person and offering to bring.
The terrors of law and of God,
With me can have nothing to do.
My Savior’s obedience and blood
Hide all my transgressions from view.

The work which His goodness began
The arm of His strength will complete.
His promise is yea and amen,
And never was forfeited yet.
Things future, nor things that are now,
Not all things below nor above
Can make Him His purpose forego,
Or sever my soul from His love.

My name from the palms of His hands
Eternity will not erase
Impressed on His heart it remains
In marks of indelible grace.
Yes, I to the end shall endure
As sure as the earnest is given
More happy but not more secure
The glorified spirits in heaven.

Yes, I to the end shall endure
As sure as the earnest is given
More happy but not more secure
The glorified spirits in heaven.

Beyond the Gates and Sometimes in April

People often ask me if I've seen Hotel Rwanda and if I can recommend any other movies about the genocide besides it. I've seen two other films that talk about the Rwandan genocide that I appreciate even more. (Though I still recommend seeing Hotel Rwanda as a starting point) Those other two movies are Beyond the Gates and Sometimes in April

Beyond the Gates

Beyond the Gates is a British film telling the story of a teacher and a priest who ministered in Rwanda and who chose not to evacuate as the genocide began. They take drastically different paths as the effects of the genocide ensue. What I appreciate so much about this movie is that it doesn't leave you with the "warm fuzzies" after seeing it. Paul Rusassebagina was a wonderful man, who saved so many peoples' lives, but after seeing Hotel Rwanda you feel a sense of closure and neatness to the whole story (Probably because this is a Hollywood produced film). However, in Beyond the Gates, you are left with more questions than answers at the end of the film which is a response more true to the genocide.

Please read the review from Rotten Tomatoes below for a good synopsis of the film:
Joe Connor has come to teach in Rwanda because he believes he can make a difference. When the school becomes a haven for thousands of Rwandans fleeing the genocide, Joe promises his brightest... Joe Connor has come to teach in Rwanda because he believes he can make a difference. When the school becomes a haven for thousands of Rwandans fleeing the genocide, Joe promises his brightest pupil, Marie, that the UN soldiers will protect her from the hordes of extremist militia baying for blood outside the school. But when the UN abandon the refugees, Joe and the school's headmaster, Father Christopher, face an agonising dilemma: should they leave or should they stand firm with the Rwandans. As the UN trucks force their way through the terrified refugees, Joe stares at the tear-stained face of Marie: what should he do? What would you do? Based on real events and filmed at the actual location where this story took place, Beyond the Gates is directed by Michael Caton-Jones and stars John Hurt and Hugh Dancy. It is an emotionally gripping, authentic and powerful recreation of a tragic real life story that took place during the Rwandan genocide in 1994. --© IFC Films

Sometimes in April

Sometimes in April is the story of two brothers and their very different response during and after the genocide. What I appreciate about this film is its portrayal of how wide reaching the genocide was in Rwandan society. It makes a point of portraying all who were involved in the genocide.

Please read the interesting synopsis from Rotten Tomatoes below:
HBO pushes the envelope once again with this dramatization of the brutal events that befell the citizens of Rwanda in April 1994. Director Raoul Peck shot the bulk of the picture in Rwanda, adding an incredible feeling of poignancy to his film by revisiting many of the sites where the unthinkable acts of genocide occurred. Peck focuses his cameras on two Hutu brothers, a military man and a DJ. The Hutu's were responsible for the estimated 800,000 deaths of their Tutsi countrymen during this period; the violence was sparked when Rwandan president Juvenal Habyarimana--also a Hutu--was killed after his plane was shot down on April 6th. As the gruesome events unfold, the two brothers lives are immeasurably changed in ways they never thought possible. Hard hitting and not afraid to depict many of the graphic scenes of violence that exploded across Rwanda during this dark chapter in Africa's history, SOMETIMES IN APRIL is a courageous, brave piece of filmmaking that stands alongside Terry George's HOTEL RWANDA as an important document of a tragic time.

If you want to understand more about the Rwandan genocide do watch Hotel Rwanda but then watch one of these lesser known films. Surely they will impact you.